1. Field of this Invention
This invention relates to the production of .gamma.-chloroacetoacetic acid chloride from chlorine and diketene.
2. Prior Art
The production of .gamma.-chloroacetoacetic acid chloride from chlorine gas and diketene is known. The reaction takes place exothermally and therefore requires a large amount of cooling. Undesirable .alpha.-chloroacetoacetic acid chloride develops, especially when the reaction proceeds too slowly. According to the Japanese Patent Publication No. 113,824 (1976), such disadvantages are supposedly avoided when dissolved diketene is allowed to flow downwardly in a column reaction vessel at the same time diluted chlorine gas is fed into it in a continuous current or countercurrent manner. However, the process merely leads to selectivities of less than 90 percent. In addition, the monetary expenditure for space and production for such column reaction vessels is undesirably high. Also the capacity of such column reaction vessels is very low because of the relatively small exchange surface and the small flow velocities.